Truck-scale.



PATENTED NOV 13, 1906.

E. L. GAGE.

TRUCK SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

INyENTOR.

WITNESSES:

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N0. 836,0?4r I PATENTBD NOV 13, 1906, E, L. GAGE,

TRUCK SCALE,

APPLICATION FILED J'AN.26. 1906.

2 $HEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrron v EDWIN L. GAGE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

TRUCK-SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application. filed January 25 1906. $erial No. 297,742.

.To all whom, it may concern.-

ing drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthls specification.

My invention relates to trucks of the class which. have combined therewith a scale, the

weig'hinglevers of which have operative connection with the bed of the truck and are adapted to be moved to effect an elevation of i the bed, whereby it will be yieldingly sup ported. by such levers for the purpose of,

weighing an article placed thereon or be moved to effect a lowering of the bed whereby to permit it to be firmly supported by the truck-frame and to throw the :scale-le-vers into inoperative position.

Considerable difficulty has been experi enced in the use of truck-scales of this class,

due to the fact that weights registered thereby are found to be inaccurate and to vary when the same article is weighed before and after the scale-bed has been lowered to inoperative position and again raised. By eX- perimenting it has been ascertained that this inaccuracy and variance in the Weight registered is due to the manner of raising and lowering the scale-bed, which consists in removably connecting an arm of one of the scale-levers to the scale-beam, whereby such arm may be released from the scale-beam and lowered to effect a lowering of the scale levers and bed to inoperate position.

The object of my invention, therefore, is to cure the defect in the construction of scales of this class by the provision, in combination with the scale-levers, of means for effecting a raising and-lowering of the scale-bed, which means, while it causes a movement of the bed throughthe medium of the scale-levers, does not affect or in any way change the connection between the lever-arm and the scale beam, thus obviating the difliculties incident to the old construction.

To this end the invention consists in certain. novel. features of construction, combina tion, and arrangement of the parts, as is fully described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the truck-frame and scale embodying my invention with the bed removed. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical longitudinal sections of the same, taken on the dot ted lines a: a; and as? as, respectively,in Fig. 1, with the bed shown thereon and elevated in operative position. Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified construction of the truckwith the bed thereof shown as partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the dotted line 3 y in Fig. l with a portion of the bed broken away, and Fig. 6 is a vertical longitur dinal section of the truck with the bed and operative parts thereof shown inoperative position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the frame of an ordinary truck, which may either be of the hand or wagon types, as desired. Fulcrumed within the frame 1 to the sides thereof are the two U-shaped elevating-levers 2 and 3, the forward lever of which has its legs pivoted to the frame sides, as at 2, while in lowered or the rear lever .3 has ist legs pivoted to the frame sides, as at 3. These levers are in.- versely positioned, so that their looped ends are disposed at opposite ends of the truckframe and have their inner endseach connected to the corresponding end of a U- shaped operatingd'ever 4 through the medium of links 5. The operating-lever4 is pivoted at opposite sides'of the truck-frame, as at 6, to pendent arms or brackets 7, which are secured toothe frame. This lever is provided at its looped endwith a handle portion 4!, which extends rearwardly and has its outer or free endin engagement with a spring finger 8,-which is suspended from the truck,- frame and is provided with two lugs or lever; engaging stops Sfor supporting the lever in raised or lowered positions.

' 9 and 10 represent the usual scalerlevers, which may be of any suitable construction and. are pivotally suspended adjacent their outer ends from the contiguous outer ends of the levers 2 3 by the loops'll, which loops hang loosely over the looped: ends of the proper levers 2 3 and form bearing's'forthe pivots 12, which project from the sides ofthe scale-levers. The levers 9 and 10 are pivot ally connected attheir inner ends, as by a loop 13 or in any. other suitable manner, and the main scale-lever 9 is provided with the extended arm 9, the outer end of which is suitably connected in proper position to the scale-beam 14 by a clevis or link 15, as shown in Fig. 1. The scale-beam 14 has its fulcrum in a bracket 16, which has its ends secured to the cross-piece 17 and the contiguous end piece of the frame 1. The scale-bed 18, which also forms the platform of the truck, is provided on its under side with two spaced transverse strips or pieces 19. from which project the downwardly-extending bearingbrackets 20. These brackets have their lower surfaces suitably shaped to form a bearing for the pivots 21, which project from opposite sides of each scale-lever 9 10 and on which said brackets rest when the scalelevers are in raised or operative position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will thus be seen that the scale-levers 9 10 are pivotally carried by or suspended from the elevatinglevers 2 3 in a manner suited to their purpose and that a movement of the scale-levers occasioned by a downward pressure on the bed 18 is communicated to the scale-beam 14 through the medium of the extended arm 9 on the lever 9, the said scale-levers having their fulcrums and points of connection with the bed and scale beam properly apportioned and arranged to correctly register on the scale-beam the weight of the pressure on the scale-bed.

In practice the scale-bed 18 is normally allowed to rest upon the frame 1 of the truck, which forms a firm foundation therefor, hen the bed is in this position, the operative parts of the scale are in the position shown in Fig. 6, and a raising of the bed to this position for use as a scale is accomplished by a raising of the operating-lever 4 to engagement with the upper lug 8 on the spring-finger S, which movement of the lever 4 effects an elevation of the outer ends of the levers 2 8 and attached scale-levers 9 10 suflicient to raise the bed slightly above the truck-frame 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

' The lowering movement imparted to the outer end of the levers 2 3 and 9 10 by a lowering of the lever 4 is preferably made sufhcient to draw the pivots 21 on the scale-levers 9 1O slightly out of engagement with the bearing-brackets after the bed 18 has become seated on the truck-frame, thereby preventing a jar occasioned to the scale-bed from being communicated to the scale-levers. It will thus be seen that a raising and lowering of the scale-bed in the manner described does not in any way affect or change the connection between the scale-beam and the scale-lever, which has direct connection therewith, thereby overcoming the objections incident to the forms of truck-scales heretofore used.

In Fig. 1 is shown a modified construction of the truck in the manner of positioning the scale-beam, which is designated a and mounted at the side of the truck instead of at the end. In this figure, Y) represents the truckframe; a, the scale-bed; (Z d, the elevatinglevers; e, the operating-lever; ff, the scalelevers, and g the extended arm of one scalelever, which has connection with the scalebeam. This arm is shown as being bent to connect with the scale-beam at right angles to the position of the levers. It is found with my improved means of elevating and lowering the scale-bed that the scale-beam can be mounted in any suitable position relative to the scale-levers without affecting the accuracy of the scale, whereas with the old construction above referred to the positioning of the scale-beam in this manner would occasion an inaccuracy in the weight registered.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a truck-scale, the combination with the frame, of two U-shaped elevating-levers having their looped ends disposed at opposite ends of the frame and the arms of each standing along the inner sides of the frame toward the center thereof and to near common points, an operating-lever fulcrumed beneath the frame and having an arm disposed at each side of the frame andterminating near the point of termination of the elevatinglever arms on the same side of the frame, connection between each operatingdever arm and the contiguous elevating-lever arms whereby a movement of the former imparts movement to the latter, scale-levers carried by the looped ends of the elevating-levers, and a bed supported by the scale-levers when they are elevated and by the frame when the levers are lowered.

2. In a truck-scale, the combination with the frame thereof, of two U-shaped elevatinglevers having their looped ends disposed at opposite ends of the frame and the arms of each fulcrumed to the inner sides of the frame and extending toward the center thereof to near common points, a U-shaped operating-lever having its arms fulcrumed beneath the frame and their terminals respectively near the point of termination of the elevating-lever arms on the same side of the frame, link connection between the arms of the operatinglever and the superimposed arms of the elevatinglevers, scaleelevers suspended from the elevatinglevers, and a bed carried by the scale-levers and adapted to rest on the frame whensaid levers are low cred.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDI/VIN L. GAGE.

Witnesses:

C. IV. OWEN, CORNELL ScHnErBEn. 

